the security forces mounted a successful counter @ - @ insurgency campaign during 1973 and 1974 , developments overseas caused the conflict ' s momentum to shift in the insurgents ' favour . the leftist car ##nation revolution of april 1974 caused portugal to withdraw its key economic support for smith ' s administration , and led to mozambique ' s independence the following year as a communist state openly allied with za ##nu . around the same time , rhodesia ' s other main back ##er , south africa , adopted a det ##ente initiative that forced a ceasefire , giving the guerrillas time to reg ##roup . following the ab ##ort ##ive victoria falls conference of august 1975 , smith and the za ##pu leader joshua
the security forces mounted a successful counter @ - @ insurgency campaign during 1973 and 1974, developments overseas caused the conflict's momentum to shift in the insurgents'favour. the leftist carnation revolution of april 1974 caused portugal to withdraw its key economic support for smith's administration, and led to mozambique's independence the following year as a communist state openly allied with zanu. around the same time, rhodesia's other main backer, south africa, adopted a detente initiative that forced a ceasefire, giving the guerrillas time to regroup. following the abortive victoria falls conference of august 1975, smith and the zapu leader joshua